ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · mark · cold · leaves · charge · object · wound · deal

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. charge — in control
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. object — to protest
  13. cold — an illness
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mark — a trace
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. object — a thing
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cold — not warm
  20. object — an aim
  21. mark — a grade
  22. key — in music
  23. charge — a price
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com